Book-stand



No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1. B. V. BUFFINGTON.

Book Stand No. 240,085. Patented April 12, 1881 W lin/ (No lodel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

B. V. BUPPINGTON. Book Stand.

No. 240,085. Patented April 12,1881.

J/zrantor KPETERS FNOTO-UTHOGRAPHER. WASMKNGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BURNETT V. BUFFINGTON, OF MARYSVILLE, OHIO.

BOOK-STAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,085, dated April 12, 1881.

Application filed February 14, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, B.V. BUFFINGTON, M. D., of Marysville, in the county of Union and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Stands; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to construct a device especially adapted for holding and preserving large books-such, for instance, as a dictionary-and also to adapt the said device to subserve the purpose of an ordinary stand or table when it is not desired to use the said book.

To such end my invention consists in a box composed of two sections hinged together and adapted, when closed and lowered between vertical standards, to serve as a stand or table by reason of the enlarged end boards of the sections constituting the table-top, and adapted, when raised and opened upon said standards, to admit of the book contained therein being opened and inspected.

It also consists in the details of construction hereinafter fully described, and specified in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box raised and opened, and also of the'supports therefor. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the open box and portion of its supports. Fig. 3 is a vertical section with the box closed and lowered; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken through one of the sections of the open box, a portion only of two of the standards being shown.

A A indicate four upright standards, which are supported by suitable legs, 0, which, if desired, can be provided with caster-wheels, to admit of the device being readily moved over the floor of a room.

D refers to the box, which is composed of two equal sections, E E, hinged together by means of the hinges F, which admit of the box being opened to form a tray or holder, as shown in Fig. 1, or closed to form a box and stand or table, as shown in Fig. 3. To the outer sides of the sections of this two-part box are secured the strips G G, each provided with a longitudinal groove, H, and to the inner sides of the standards, at their upper ends, are secured the pins I, which project into the grooves of the said strips. the box is composed of four sides, the sides K at the ends of the sections being considerably wider than the said sections, so that when the box is closed, as in Fig. 3, these sides K coming together will constitute a table-top or top of a stand for holding various articles.

L L indicate bands or straps secured at their ends within the two sections of the box, and M indicates a book, which I have represented Each section of in several of the figures for the purpose of more fully illustrating my invention.

To convert the device into a table when it is not desired to use the book,the box will be closed and let down between the standards, the pins and grooves serving to guide and steady the same. In assuming the position shown in Fig. 3, the sides K of the sections will constitute the table-top,and thebook,wh ich is now inclosed by thebox, will be supported by the bands or straps which are connected at their ends to the two said sections, there being, as will be observed, no bottom to the box when it is thus closed, such construction being obviously necessary in order that when the box is opened to form a tray there will be no central partition therein.

To convert the box into a tray or book-holder, so that the book can be opened and supported, it will be necessary to raise the box until checked by the contact of the pins upon the standards with stops at the ends of the grooves in the strips that are secured to the box-sections. The said sections can now be opened, the pins constituting bearings for the same to turn upon, and also supporting the same when opened, as in Fig. 2, the top ends of the standards also serving as supports for the same purpose. The box being thus converted into a tray or holder, the book can be opened and inspected without raising the same from its support.

I am aware that it is not new to have a hinged box closing in between pivoted standards-as, for instance, such as are used for holding and exhibiting drawings, &c.-and hence I do not claim such, broadly, as my invention.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A combined table and book-stand con-' sist-in g, essentially, of the four upright standards A A, provided with pins supporting legs 0 G, the box D, composed of two equal sections hinged together at their bottoms and provided with top boards or table-leaves, K, grooved strips G, and bands L, all constructed and adapted to form an inclosed or open book-stand or a table, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination, with the rigid standards provided with pins at their upper ends, of the box composed of two sections hinged together and provided with top boards, the 

